The global coronavirus pandemic has caused disruption to the world in way we haven’t seen before – shops are shut, the high street is empty, bars and restaurants are closed and this has had a huge impact on the way in which businesses operate. In order to survive and mitigate this new era it is critical for businesses to adapt. The way in which we do business has changed – at least for now.
There are many ways you can adapt your business in order to continue and be stronger when the world starts to reopen.
Reassure your staff and customers
It is critical that every business ensures the safety and well being of not only their staff but also their customers. Anxiety about the coronavirus is justifiably high right now and it is important to be a strong leader and make sure your staff especially feel safe and secure.
- Publish a response to the pandemic and how your business is taking steps to ensure safety to your customers and staff.
- Detail with staff any new measures taken and hygiene methods.
- Reassure staff that may be furloughed and ensure they know as much as possible about the situation.
- If delivering to customers, ensure they know how details of the delivery – can it be left on the doorstep or in a safe place for those self isolating
Acknowledge fears
As an employer and business leader, it is important to acknowledge any fears your staff may have. It could be fear of the future, fear of working from home or simply fear of the unknown. All of these are completely understandable and it is true that most people will have had some level of fear and uncertainty throughout this crisis. Reassure your staff, but also be honest. There may be uncertain times ahead, but if business leaders are honest it will allow everyone to mentally prepare for any situation. Businesses face challenges right now, but with the right attitude and perseverance, they can all ride through this and come out stronger than ever.
Go digital where possible
If you are a shop and most of your business is from people visiting you, it is very likely you have had to close the premises down. However, if you have a digital presence there may be a way you can continue to trade and also engage with your customer base.
- If you have a website, update it with new stock and see if you can sell directly to customers
- Use social media to build new followers and also promote any offers you have
- See if it is possible to set up a local delivery service or if the logistics are tricky – you could team up with a local courier service and help each other out!
- Stay in touch with your customers will a newsletter or email from time to time
- Make an effort to support and engage with other local businesses
- If you are a bar or restaurant consider setting up a takeaway option to ensure continuity of business – this would be most appreciated for those self isolating
- Use Skype or Zoom as ways to keep in touch with employees who may be working from home
Network and support other local business
This time is very uncertain and something we feel is important right now is to support other local businesses. It is a good opportunity to reach out, see if you can be of service to any one else or even partnering up with other businesses to help each other out. Lifting other businesses up feels good and right now there has never been a better time for that. Engage with other people, build relationships with local people – even if it’s just a friendly tweet. It can not only really brighten up someone’s day but also widens your reach in the community.
If you are a business that is facing challenges in this uncertain time and need some advice, please do get in touch with us. Whether you need help creating a digital presence or want to engage with existing customers, we can help! Call us on 0800 088 5506 or send us a DM on Twitter